


On a winter day

by Muzii



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, BAMF Senju Tobirama, Butsuma a+ parenting, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Study, Gen, Hashirama is a bit oblivious but not a bad brother, Hurt/Comfort, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Original Character(s), Protective Tobirama, Senju Tobirama & Uchiha Izuna - Freeform, Senju Tobirama & Uchiha Kagami - Freeform, Senju Tobirama & Uchiha Madara - Freeform, Senju Tobirama Needs a Hug, Snow leopards, Tags May Change, Tobirama in morally conflicting situations, cute kagami, not really - Freeform, not sure about pairings yet, tobirama senses a kid in danger and gets real angry really fast
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:53:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29265345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Muzii/pseuds/Muzii
Summary: While returning from a mission, Tobirama is exhausted and freezing.A situation presents itself and he has no other option but to interfere.After all, he made a promise many years ago and no child was going to die if he can prevent it.
Comments: 25
Kudos: 206





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! i haven't written a fic in a couple of years, but I had a plot in my head and I couldn't help myself so I just had to write it! I think Tobirama is a complex character that deserves more attention. This fic is more on the serious side. Also, please note that english isn't my first language, so if you have any corrections or whatever, I'm more than happy to recieve them. I really hope you enjoy this fic and if you have any suggestions, please do so:) In this story Tajima and Butsuma are still alive as they'll be important to the story.  
> Edit: there will be explicit content of violence, which will be warned at the beginning of the chapter.  
> Finally, there are some original characters and at the end notes, I'll explain name meanings and such just because I like symbolism hehe  
> enjoy!

-1-  
He’s tired. He’s so fucking tired. He’s just shy of twenty years old and has already experienced enough blood shell to fill a lifetime, has killed enough people –enemies, but still, people- to make himself sick every time he looks his haggard and haunted expression in the mirror after a particular gruesome nightmare, or rather, memories twisted in the only way dreams can turn them into, and has buried more brothers than some families even have.

  
So yes, Senju Tobirama is exhausted of it all and he thinks, perhaps, just as much as everyone else. However, the simple but abysmal difference between the rest of the people and himself, it’s that he is clan head Senju Butsuma’s second son and Senju Hashirama’s younger brother, so it became his duty, by default, to be the support of his clan and of the present and future clan head.

  
While his -last remaining- brother’s personality is like the sun -always shining despite the changing seasons and gruesome storms- and his presence like a kiri tree -strong, dependable and unshakable-, his own character has always been more on the quieter and analytical side, prone to reasoning and concealment as his coping mechanism and defense. After a ruthless upbringing and so many heartaches and losses, it became like the expectant moment just before a lightning strikes, a particular kind of strength that is silent and unobtrusive but unstoppable and deadly in its efficiency and cunningness when set in motion. Sadly, he mastered it so perfectly, like the rest of the things the white haired man puts his mind on, that he turned into a symbol of fear to their enemies, but particularly to the Uchihas’ and, regretfully but probably unavoidable, to his own clan as well. At the age of eleven, hushed whispers of _demon child_ , sometimes accompanied by pointed fingers, followed him as he walked the streets and were then roared with disgust and hatred in the battlefield until whenever someone saw him, they only thought _white demon_.

  
He knew well of this, intimately so, since sometimes even he got frightened of himself and of the things he knows he could and would do to protect his loved ones, even if the feeling was not reciprocated. After his failed attempt to save his brother’s horrid death from an Uchiha child killing squad all those years ago, he swore to himself to do everything in his power to never be weak enough to cost someone’s life. And that is why, despite being aware of the dehumanizing moniker, the fear in the people’s eyes, of having been turned into a horror story for Uchiha children, and the disappointment and sorrow in his brother’s incomprehensive gaze, he took the cold and heavy mask called the white demon and wore it in memory and honor for his lost ones, as a reminder of his own failures and sins, and as a promise to the living.

  
However, it’s not like everyone is oblivious to this. For one part, his father is perfectly aware that his red-eyed child is a warrior –he made sure of that- and that this is what became of him. The reasons behind it or how much of it is Tobirama and how much the white demon, he doesn’t care, not as long as it fulfills its role to the clan. For the other part, oddly enough, it’s his cousin Touka, a graceful, hardened fighter, and isolated and scorned since childhood for choosing what was considered a man’s duty, having proudly and unashamedly rejected what was expected of her from birth. Despite being older than him for a few years, the loneliness and determination that they found in each other’s eyes one autumn afternoon training by chance in the same hidden spot in the forest brought them together. Since then, they considered themselves each other’s closest person in a way only misunderstood souls could. They usually never openly discuss it, preferring the silent support over a cup of sake to forget recent battles, by training to distract themselves from haunting dreams or by sitting next to the other to not be alone in moments of vulnerability. So yes, Touka is not a fool and her cousin’s impassive face doesn’t delude her for a second, her eyes always seeing Tobirama and never the demon, for which he’ll always be deeply and secretly grateful and moved by it.

  
Do not mistake him, he knows his brother loves him, but since the day he was forced to inform his father about the secret reunions after one escapade became one too many and Butsuma inquired about his brother’s whereabouts (whereabouts Tobirama already knew thanks to his sensor abilities, which where used to keep vigil during said meetings), Hashirama felt true betrayal for the first time in his life and could never truly forget it. From that point on, a line drew between them, a mixture of the elder child never able to fully trust the younger one -something that clenched both of their hearts every time they acknowledged it in the privacy of their minds-; a desire from Tobirama to not bother his brother with his own experiences and pains; and apparent differences in points of view that were considered too dissimilar to ever reach an agreement.

  
If you asked Tobirama the thing he considered more precious in his life, he would say, without hesitation, children. For him, children grew up the way they were mostly because of the adults and their teachings; he would say that they can turn out to be ruthless, but also kind and gentle like Itama. Which is why, he concluded: firstly, that they have the potentiality to be anything, so no one is intrinsically good or bad; and secondly, that they were in a stage of life where they shouldn’t be guilty of things an adult can, nor be treated as such, regardless of what Butsuma would say about “old enough to hold a knife, old enough to fight”.

  
It is because of all of those reasons that it came as no surprise to him when, returning exhausted from a mission and trying to maintain body heat at the best of his abilities while snow fell delicately around him, that his blood boiled in rage and that he didn’t hesitate to redirect his route to the source of distress he sensed coming from a child –no, two, one barely there, an infant?-, a painfully similar feeling in his heart of the time he went to his brother’s aid in a frenzy. He clenched his hands as he run as fast as he could, forced his breath into calmer ones, and focused on the presences. He counted, 1…3…4...5…7! Seven counting the children, meaning five targets. Focusing in those, he felt rage return with fervor and bile attempting to come up his throat. It was completely and utterly disgusting! They were finding sadistic enjoyment in the terror of their victims, and the fact that they were children made it even more unforgivable.

  
When he was a hundred meters from the location, his stomach suddenly filled with dread as he recognized two of the chakra signatures. Despite that, he steeled his resolve and took a last calming breath and hid his presence, immediately situating himself above them, hiding in the trees to assess the situation.

  
There was a child, no more than five or six and utterly terrified, legs paralyzed and eyes unblinkingly glaring at the man towering in front of him, while trying to hide with tiny hands that were red from the cold an even smaller bundle in his arms. The men circled their victims, laughing and throwing taunts even as the baby wailed loudly, probably scared but not understanding why, his or her cries barely muffled by the boys jacket. He was bouncing the baby up and down in what he hoped was a calming motion, but to no avail. Tobirama’s eyes narrowed in focus and, wasting neither more time nor thoughts to the consequences of his interference, he landed in the middle of the circle with all the gracefulness of his snow leopards. With deliberately slow movements he raised to his full height, casually resting his right hand on top of the pommel of his sword and the other perched on the edge of his pant pocket, thumb grazing the explosive tags on the inside.

  
The boy yelped in surprise and his breath stuttered, not sure what to make of this new development. Meanwhile, Tobirama took his time to lock eyes with each of the men surrounding the three of them and finally returned a hardened gaze to the one in front of him, who was undoubtedly the leader of the group.

  
"Kuragari" Tobirama acknowledged with a deep voice that contrasted sharply with the high pitched cries of the baby and the whistling wind.  
The man hesitated merely for a second and almost imperceptibly flared his nostrils in anger at the perceived disrespect, before recovering quickly and replying in an unpleasantly mellow tone.

  
"Tobirama- _san",_ he remarked with fake politeness, "what brings you here so far from the compound in such cold weather?"

  
Tobirama kept silent and tapped his fingers on the metal, raising a pale eyebrow. After a few tense seconds, he asked in an intimidating manner, making it clear that any form of lie would not be tolerated.

  
"Tell me, what do you intend to do to these children?"

  
Senju Kuragari kept his eyes trained on Tobirama, but reflexively crossed his arms in front of him, betraying his nervousness, while the rest of the group were throwing anxious glances at each other, some shifting their weight from one foot to the other. The captain of the squad lifted his chin in defiance and replied "nothing that hasn’t been ordered, if that is what worries you, Tobirama-san. We wouldn’t want to concern you with such… _trifling_ matters. We heard you were in a long mission, you must be fatigued".

  
Tobirama kept his face blank, not rising to the blatant taunt.

  
"I appreciate your concern Kuragari, however, you did not answer my question and, by rank, you are obliged to respond. This is the last time I will ask. What do you intend to do to these children?" As he finished his question, he tightened his hold on the sword, perfectly aware that such action would be noticed by his clansmen.

  
All eyes drew to the movement and now, more wary of the man that was, not for any reason, called the white demon, the captain swallowed and thought his reply. Not letting too much time to pass, he finally explained, attempting –and failing pathetically- to sound amenable: "My apologies for my disservice. We’re on a scouting mission and came across the enemy, as you see, so by clan orders, we must eliminate it unless it’s ascertained that capture or avoidance of conflict would be the most reasonable solution".

  
Seething with anger, Tobirama nearly growled: "oh, _I see_. And what, exactly, was your reasoning to eliminate a child and a baby, barely a threat at all and, above all, why, instead of a swift kill, were you torturing them and prolonging it? I am _most interested_ in your answer".

  
Kuragari’s ego finally reached the point that would not accept any more insults and raised his voice, angered by the implications in the questioning. "They are _Uchiha_ , child or not, they are a threat to the Senju, surely you understand how this is for our protection, Tobirama-san. As for your other concern, we were most certainly not torturing them, we exchanged a few words and were about to take the action, _sir_."

  
"Both of those statements were wrong".

  
Immediately, the entire group started voicing their complaints, trying to defend themselves. Tobirama merely raised a firm hand briefly and quickly, effectively silencing them. "Do not try to defend yourselves. Do you think me stupid or inept? May I remind you I am one of the best sensors there are and I could sense all of you from miles away, not to mention that I observed the situation from above. Now, as for the other point, they may belong to an enemy clan, but they are first and foremost _children_ and you will not kill them".

  
At that final statement, Kuragari’s face twisted wickedly, exuding arrogance. "My apologies in advance Tobirama-san. For these missions, your father explicitly told us that the only orders we would take were from him and him alone. Seeing as he is current clan head, I’m afraid that us both have to obey his commands and yours can’t overrule his".

  
 _"Fuck_ , the albino thought, _he put me in a position where if I give them an order it would go against Butsuma’s and that would be considered treason. Also, I have no way to ascertain the validity of that statement; for all I know, he could be bluffing, but if I doubt what he said and tell them to accompany me to take this matter to Butsuma, it could be seen as doubting the authority and reasoning of the clan head. Even if we return to the compound, the elders’ and father’s opinion will tip in their favor because of the recent increase in deaths, so not only will I be considered as defying the supreme authorities of the clan, but also as siding with an enemy clan, and the Uchiha no less, by defending them against our own people. Fuck. What do I do!? If I leave, these children will die. If I give them orders or take them to the compound with the children, it will benefit neither me nor the children and I could be condemning them to a worse fate. If I go with the squad and leave the children here, they will definitely die from the cold in a short amount of time and I can’t be seen summoning one of my snow leopards to help them. I also can’t order the group not to kill them and to go back without me"._  
 _"So in the end, basically, it’s either treason or my conscience"._

  
Tobirama closed his eyes and discretely drew a deep breath to calm his racing heart.

  
Suddenly, tiny fingers clutched the back of his pants and through the fabric he could feel the tremors coming from the hand attached to it.

  
Exhaling all the air at once, Tobirama opened his eyes.

  
He had made his decision.

  
He thought it would be harder but, in the end, he knew from the start where this would lead to.

  
He looked down and softened his features, using a tone he usually kept for his students. –What’s your name, little one?-

  
The black haired boy sniffed and raised his head, hand still firmly gripping the fabric and the other one holding the baby. His voice shook as he answered in a small voice "Ka-Kagami and th-this is-s my c-cousin Yua"

The young man hummed and replied "I see, nice to meet you Kagami and Yua. My name is Tobirama" He gently patted Kagami’s head and with swift movements, he weaved hand signs to attack all of the men at once. Not giving them a chance to react and taking advantage of the distraction, Tobirama summoned Kana-san and instructed her to take the children to safety until he went looking for her. The snow leopard light colored and intelligent eyes fell upon the quivering figures at her feet. Promptly, she gathered them, carefully but efficiently, and run at a speed that vastly surpasses Tobirama on his good days. Under the space of five seconds, the summon had disappeared from the human eyesight, long gone and camouflaging seamlessly with the snow that surrounded them.

  
The men had started to recover from the water attack that had happened not over 10 seconds ago, and Tobirama stood from his crouched position as he unhurriedly unsheathed his sword.

  
"TOBIRAMA! What do you think you’re doing?!" Kuragami hollered while getting into a battle stance. "This is treason of the worst degree! We shall kill you here you _demon_! You sided with the Uchiha, this is unforgivable! By law we’re allowed to end you here! MEN! IN POSITION!"

  
Tobirama hardened his own stance and tightened his grip on the sword as the men spread out for the battle to come. "I’m afraid I can’t let you kill them, it goes against all of my principles and the world my brother dreams of. If you wish to kill them, you will have to kill me first".

  
He gave himself a moment to watch the white scenery around him. Snowflakes travelled almost sluggishly to the ground, as if they were letting themselves to be carried by the wind, not a care in the world about their destination.

  
 _"It is sort of peaceful… Well_ , he though as he refocused his attention to the situation at hand, _one can only hope"_.

  
"Let’s fight".


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some backstory on how the small Uchihas' appeared in Senju land.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Here comes the second chapter, I hope you enjoy and if you like it, please leave a comment so i can get some feedback! it always brightens my day to read them.  
> Also, I'll try to update once a week or so, ideally not until I have at least another chapter already written. Updates will probably be on weekends; today's an exception! hehe
> 
> Cheers and I hope everyone's alright with the pandemic.

**_3 days prior_ **

It was the fifth winter for one little Uchiha Kagami. Also, there was the fact that he was now old enough –by his standards- to be able to wander _mostly_ on his own as long as he stayed close to his home and didn’t disturb the chickens _again, please_. As such, for him, it was truly one of the biggest events in his short life to be able to see and feel the snow falling from the sky. He watched from the engawa in awe as the day passed and the snow slowly but surely accumulated wherever it touched. The flowers were starting to disappear under the white cover and, as the daylight passed, the impressionable child was starting to feel cold, but too absorbed to move from his spot.

An exasperated but fond sigh came from above.

“Son, are you going to stay the whole night watching the snow?”

Kagami lifted his head and gave her a smile that was missing a front tooth, filled with innocent excitement.

“Yes!” Which sounded more like “ _yeth!_ ”

Azumi, Kagami’s mother, a young woman in her twenties and already a widower, softened her dark eyes and an amused expression took over her face. _Honestly, this child._ Not over a week ago they’d been in the market buying necessities. He’d been running around despite his mother’s continuous warnings to slow down, when all of the sudden he crashed against a passing cart loud enough to stop all movement, silencing the entire street.

Azumi was already moving, heart beating fast in her chest, expecting the worst, when just as fast as he’d fallen, Kagami stood up and took something bloody from the ground. He turned around at the exact moment his mother had gotten on her knees and he proudly exhibited a fallen tooth. “Look mama! My first battle wound!”

His mother shot him an incredulous look while searching for other injuries, wincing at the blood pouring from his mouth. _Why_ , she lamented to herself as she directed a hopeless look at her son. The street filled again with noise and laughter, some of it directed at the pair. The young mother simply sighed, unfortunately accustomed to this, and stood up. She apologized to the man that had been guiding the cart, making sure to erase his guilty expression with a reassuring smile.

Azumi huffed at the memory, not at all amused, and exclaimed in an exaggerated manner, putting a hand over her heart “But, Kagami, what if a yuki-onna appears!”

Little Kagami shrieked and quickly hid behind her pale green kimono. She snickered softly behind her sleeve and took his hand, leading them inside.

“Well, we can’t have that, can we?”

Kagami shook his head vigorously, being more than okay with not being frozen over by a scary woman. The folklore tale was soon forgotten when he smelled the food inside and a new smile appeared on his face. “Udon!”

By the third day, Kagami had somewhat gotten accustomed to the experience of the snow and, unsurprisingly, got restless sitting in the engawa watching the snow all day. Restless as he was, but not having the permission to venture outside, he thought that taking care of his cousin was a rather golden opportunity to get out of the house.

After lunch, they found themselves inside the living room of Azumi’s brother in law.

“Kagami” His mother said in what she hoped was a stern tone “your uncle and aunt asked us to help them babysit little Yua and I was going to stay here with you, but something came up. Your aunt and I will have to go to the carpenter before it closes for the day. Your uncle is working till late in the evening and the neighbors can’t come” Azumi crossed her arms in front of her, adding effect to her warning look. “You will not leave this house, understand little man?”

Kagami nodded his head with all the seriousness a five year old could muster, which wasn’t a lot, and Azumi finished her speech as she walked to the front door. “Yua’s taking a nap; _anything_ happens and you go ask for help to any neighbor, okay? They already know you two are here. We’ll be back in an hour. Love you sweetie”

“Bye mama! LOVE YOU TOO!”

Azumi laughed at the exuberant shout and closed the door behind her. “ _It’s just an hour, what could possibly happen_. _Well_ , she stilled, _with this child, truly anything_.”

Hence, just in case, the young mother clasped her hands, briefly closed her eyes, and sent a prayer for protection to Amaterasu-sama. “ _Kami-sama, please watch over my son while I’m unable to_.”

Meanwhile, Kagami was already thinking of ways to entertain himself until his mother came back. He decided to investigate the house and, when he passed in front of his cousin’s room, he stopped short, interest suddenly picked. He pressed his ear over the paper and then slowly slid the shoji door open. In the silence of the room, soft and peaceful breaths could be heard coming from the crib. Kagami got closer until he was looking directly at the baby, not older than a year old.

He let out an amazed sound. “You’re so tiny!” He shout-whispered.

The baby moved, disturbed by the noise, but didn’t wake.

“Ups! Sorry” Kagami said in a lower tone of voice, covering his mouth with one hand while poking Yua’s cheek with the other. He giggled at how the baby fat on her cheeks sank under the pressure. Predictably, after a while of continuous poking, the baby opened her eyes, directing a very displeased look at Kagami’s face, not at all happy at having been rudely awakened.

Undeterred as always, and his mother’s warnings all but forgotten, Kagami merely smiled at her and said “Hello! I’m Kagami, your cousin! Would you like to watch the snow with me?”

The baby babbled incomprehensible and attempted to grab the black curly hair above her that was so similar to her father’s. Interpreting this as a sign, Kagami searched some warm clothes for her and dressed her in the extra layers before gathering her in his arms.

Once outside in the garden, the little boy walked with her as he showed her all the cool things from the safety of his arms. Ten minutes had passed since their little adventure had started, when the ground abruptly trembled in the aftermath of an explosion from a few streets down. Startled, Kagami rocked Yua, who had begun crying. Scared of being alone when something had happened, Kagami pressed her closer to his chest and quickly left the house in search of his mother.

The streets were filled with people trying to understand what had occurred. Faces were pinched in worry but the adults were attempting to keep calm, some of them firmly grasping a weapon. Amidst the confusion, Kagami passed unnoticed as he headed to where he though the carpenter store was. In reality, he was heading straight to the south gate, which was the closest to the place of the incident and was, therefore, the entrance with the most amount of chaos. The guards had been knocked out of their feet when the explosion came from their backs, startled that it hadn’t come from outside of the compound. After confirming that it had been a katon training accident and not an attack, they made the grave error of temporarily leaving the gate unguarded while they helped to put out the fire that had just started taking over a wooden structure.

In that precise moment, Uchiha Kagami and his cousin, Uchiha Yua, pushed through the mass of people and successfully exited their clan compound for the first time in their lives.

Because his mind was still filled with anxiousness and he found himself worried about watching his step and calming Yua, Kagami didn’t lift his gaze from the ground until much time later. He only did so when he noticed that the only sounds that he could hear were chirping birds, his steps in the snow, the buzzing wind and the sniffing sounds coming from the baby. Confusion was soon replaced with horror when he realized that the only thing he could see were trees and snow, and not because of the dimming light, but because _there wasn’t anything else_.

When understanding dawned on him, the little child proceeded -quite rightfully so- to burst into terrified tears, screaming for his mother. A few minutes passed and Kagami wondered if anyone would ever find them. Forlornly, he looked down at his cousin, whose shiny eyes were wide open, staring back at him. Being the older one present, Kagami gathered courage and inhaled deeply like his mother had taught him. Eventually, his cries passed and only hiccups and teary eyes remained.

After a while, the black haired youth deduced that if he went back on his steps, he would eventually arrive home. Decision made, he nodded to himself and turned on his heels with renewed determination, rearranging the heavy weight in his arms and talking sweet things to his cousin as a distraction. While this idea in itself wasn’t wrong, the sun had started to set and the wind had picked up in intensity. This was making it difficult to see and erasing their previous footprints, a fact that little Kagami didn’t take into account.

Consequently, he deviated to the east, towards Senju land.

* * *

“KAGAMI!” the young mother called in a terrified voice as she searched desperately for her son and niece inside the compound.

**_An hour prior_ **

Immediately after the explosion, Azumi had gone back to the house where she had left Kagami and Yua, worried for their safety and with the rising suspicious that her son would not simply wait for her.

She had arrived to a silent home.

Instantly, she’d run faster than she had ever done in years, panic thrusting her into action. She went directly to search for Madara, one of the few commendable sensors of their clan.

“Madara-sama! Madara-sama!”

He’d been walking down the street with a concerned scowl etched on his face, currently inspecting the structural damage left by the explosion, when an insistent call behind him drew him out of his thoughts.

He turned around and taking note of the terrified expression on her face, his frown accentuated “Azumi-san? What’s wrong?” He automatically looked at her sides, searching for the little menace. His eyes widened “Did something happen to Kagami?!”

A few months ago, the little Uchiha had started following him everywhere he went. He’d seen Madara performing a dragon shaped Katon during a festival and he’d been left utterly astounded by it. Since then, no matter how he told the child to leave him alone, he kept coming back, unfazed by the frown directed at him. In the end, because Madara secretly enjoyed the attention and had a soft spot for kids that not many people knew about, he caved in and started to informally train the boy whenever he could.

After so much time together, Kagami had warmed his way into Madara’s heart, even though his fondness for the kid was usually accompanied by some amount of amused exasperation or concern. As such, when Azumi finished recounting the tale, Madara was left particularly worried. His first thought had been that Kagami had gotten injured by the explosion, but reality was worse. That he had disappeared with an even smaller child at the exact moment of the accident could be a coincidence or a crime of opportunity. He quickly ruled out an outside influence, as the explosion had truly been a training accident. The other option, which was the one that worried him the most, was an intra-clan crime; while this was an unusual occurrence it wasn’t totally unheard of. The last possibility was that Kagami had gone out with his cousin to look for his mother when he felt the blast. This was actually the one that had him less worried, because if he’d left the house on his own, sooner or later they would be found, by him or other people… or so he hoped.

Either way, Madara focused on the task at hand and closed his eyes in concentration. He carefully gathered his chakra in such a way that it spread in search for Kagami’s particular signature, the only one of the two that he knew. His mouth tightened in uneasiness after unsuccessfully searching through the compound. Bewildered by the unexpected turn of events, he repeated the process, but came to the same results. Dread creeping up on him, he opened his eyes, wariness filling his expression.

The young mother was looking at him in a hopeful manner.

He cleared his throat and tried to relax the muscles on his face. “Azumi-san” He began in a calm tone “I seem to be having some difficulty locating your son”. A cautious expression started to overtake her features. He continued, “Please wait here for a second; I’ll go ask for more help”.

He gave her a quick smile, which he felt was more of a grimace, and headed straight to his father’s office.

“Father” Madara called from behind the door, urgency seeping into his voice.

Uchiha Tajima, current clan head, had just returned from the site of the explosion, finally able to sit down for the first time in the day. He was about to take a sip of his tea when the call came in, stopping his hand in mid-air. Sighing, he put the steaming cup back on the tray and replied, “Come in”, already mourning the lack of heat from the ceramic piece.

The shoji door slid opened with a soft _shush_ and Madara entered, closing the door behind him. He sat respectfully in a seiza in front of his father, hands resting on top of his thighs. His fingers twitched in an aborted motion of wriggling them together in anxiety. Madara exhaled and announced ominously, “Father, I’m sorry for disturbing you, but we may have a serious problem”.

Tajima crossed his arms and gestured him to continue.

“Azumi-san, Kagami’s mother, came to me about ten minutes ago. She explained to me that her son and her niece, both under the age of six, went missing right after the explosion. They were alone at her brother in law’s house while they were running errands. She told me that immediately after the blast, she returned to the house to find it empty.” There was a tense silence and Madara fisted his hands. “I searched for his chakra twice and found nothing in either attempt” He swallowed “I couldn’t find a single speck of his presence”.

His father lowered his head consideration, a frown appearing on his face. “So what you’re saying is that, at least the boy, is either dead or absent from the compound”.

A woeful “yes” came from the other side of the low table.

After that short but taxing conversation, Tajima sent word to four of the most capable sensors, posting one on each gate to sense for them, both inside and outside of the compound. Madara was tasked with dropping by on every gate to help the sensor team, as he had the farthest range. Meanwhile, they organized a search party composed of eight groups of five people each to search by foot, two groups for each direction.

After an hour, a meeting was held between the leader of each group, the sensors, Tajima and both of his sons. The clan head spoke in a grave voice. “To summarize what has been gathered until now: that we know of, Uchiha Kagami and Uchiha Yua went missing around the time of the explosion. Outside influence is highly unlikely, but not completely discarded as a possibility. Their chakra hasn’t been found at the interior of the compound and neither at a two kilometer radius on the outside. People were questioned, but everyone claims the same: they didn’t see them and they were focused entirely on the accident”. He hardened his tone and proceeded to say: “The sun is setting earlier. Recently, clashes with enemy clans have been more brutal than usual and our people have reported movement during the night. Giving all of the above, I’m forming two scouting groups to search the exterior land, each lead by one of my sons.” Madara and Izuna bowed their heads. “You have two hours. The rest will keep investigating inside the compound. Dismissed”

Two hours later, five men and three women returned to the Uchiha compound.

Their grim expressions were all the awaiting parents needed to drop on their knees howling in grief, their bodies suddenly weak. Echoes of innocent laughter and brilliant eyes painfully clenched their hearts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Azumi: Japanese female name meaning safe residence.  
> *Yuki-onna: [Japanese folklore story] translates into “snow woman”, a pale demoness that freezes her victims to death with an icy breath.  
> *Engawa: sort of a Japanese version of a porch, kind of a veranda, that runs on the outside of the building or on the inside around the rooms.


	3. 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thanks for supporting this story by leaving kudos, bookmarks and comments<3  
> From this chapter on, we'll get more into the story; the first two chapters were more introductory than anything. I'm really hyped about the story and I hope you'll like how it progresses!  
> Important: one of my aims in this story is to deal with things as realistically as possible. Things such as traumatic events and dealing with one's difficult choices. That is why Tobirama and Kagami will behave the way they will during the following chapters. I will explain/comment more once the other chapters are posted.  
> As always, enjoy! and comment if you can;) Explanations and such are at end notes.

Kagami rubbed his eyes with cold, shaky hands. He was so exhausted, yet wide awake. No matter how much he wanted to rest his eyes, adrenaline still traveled through his veins. Admittedly, he was also kind of terrified and awed of the creature next to him.

A little while ago, the summon had grabbed them by the neck and practically flew away from the fight. In a matter of minutes, the fierce leopard had found a cave, hidden by snow, rocks and fallen trees. Once inside, she had gently lowered them to the ground and examined the resistance level of the interior space. Satisfied that it was safe enough for her charges, she went about gathering pieces of wood for when Tobirama returned. When she finished the task, she turned her head towards the children. The snow leopard said in a rumbling yet surprisingly pleasant voice: “Cub, you don’t have to worry anymore, you’re safe here. We’ll wait together until my summoner arrives.”

Kagami jerked in surprise, not expecting the animal to speak. “You can speak!”

The snow leopard scoffed, amused but slightly insulted, and sat on her rear paws. “Of course I can, cub. My name is Kana. You may address me as Kana-san”

Almost reverently, Kagami whispered: “Just like shishou’s cats!” He shivered when a particularly icy current of air hit his neck. With stuttering teeth, he politely announced, “I’m Uchiha Kagami and this is my cousin Yua! Pleased to meet you Kana-san!” His chin wobbled, moved by the recent experience, and he bowed as much as he could in the position he was in “Thank you for saving us!” As an afterthought, he complimented “And your fur is very soft!”

Kana’s intelligent eyes warmed at the bright child in front of her and with her version of a smile, she acknowledged his gratitude and asked for the baby. In an automatic response, Kagami’s muscles tensed around his cousin’s form, despite being exhausted from holding her so many hours. At his distrustful expression, she explained kindly: “cub, you spent many hours in the cold. You will be alright until my summoner arrives, but I need to warm up the baby. She’s very little and fragile, so she needs warmth as soon as possible”.

The summon waited patiently until Kagami’s frame relaxed and hesitantly extended his arms, which trembled from exertion. Kana approached slowly until her snout was grazing the baby’s clothes. She searched the boy’s eyes and silently asked for permission once more. Although she found resistance, the child was mostly trusting of her, so she opened her strong jaw and tenderly grabbed the baby. The little human was moderately hypothermic, eyelids dropping in fatigue. The snow leopard elegantly walked to the farthest corner from the entrance of the cave and lay down, situating the baby on her stomach, covering her completely. Almost as a natural reaction to the heat and softness, the infant snuggled into her and relaxed for the first time after long hours of constant distress and confusion, finally feeling safe under the steady beat of a heart.

Five kilometers away from their location, droplets of blood dripped from the tip of a sharp blade in a steady pace. They landed on the snow, mixing with the condensed water and spreading the reddish area forming from the continuous trickle.

Tobirama was standing, unmoving, vacant eyes locked on the bodies scattered around him. He blinked, not fully registering the scene he was seeing. All of the sudden, the smell of blood -metallic and acrid-like- entered his nostrils, making him shudder violently. His sword fell to the ground and with it, his legs as well, muscles unable to hold him up anymore. He dropped his head between his knees, clutching his hair with pale fingers. _“I killed them, I killed them”_ , he repeated in his head over and over again like a litany. Rocking slightly back and forth he forced back his tears and breathed heavily. Once the shock had somewhat dissipated, he released the clutched hair and, still looking at the ground between his thighs, made another summon.

The male leopard appeared in front of the slouched figure and growled in concern, nuzzling his snout against Tobirama’s hair. “Cub?” Yuuto asked in a tone he rarely used, when the albino didn’t raise his head.

The Senju exhaled a shuddering breath and straightened his back, grabbing fistfuls of Yuuto’s patterned fur. “I’m… alright” At the piercing yet caring look directed his way, he corrected himself, “I…I will be” He sighed deeply, “I need your help with something while I go search for Kana-san”. Absently, Tobirama started to pat his companion, grounding himself, his presence having always been the one with the most calming effect among his summons. In return, Yuuto gave a content purr, licking away drops of blood that had landed on Tobirama’s face, careful in a way as he would with his own offspring. Now marginally less tense, Tobirama continued, “I need you to put the… bodies next to one another and to keep guard until my return. I’ll draw some arrays that will cast a moderately strong genjutsu to make this space appear dangerous so nobody goes through it. Giving that this is Senju land and not Uchiha, I think it will suffice”.

Yuuto calmly expressed his understanding, with a deep and rich voice that never fails to remind Tobirama of crashing waves. Despite the instructions, the leopard remained firmly pressed against him, enveloping his summoner with soothing chakra. Sometime later, Tobirama whispered his thanks and stood up, grabbing his sword in a single fluid motion. The two of them worked in perfect sync, not speaking a single word, a dance of movements ingrained after years of being in each other’s presence.

When all was set, Tobirama knelt in front of his former clansmen and bowed one time, head touching the snow, to show his respect for those whom he had once shared the Senju name with.

Standing up, he scratched Yuuto’s head, expressing his gratitude. He sighed once and, without looking back, headed north where the wild and powerful chakra of Kana-san currently was.

* * *

In the beginning, the summoned leopard had been worried about the survival of the smallest human. From what she’d gathered from her experience with Tobirama, was that human cubs were tremendously fragile and dependent of their caretakers. That is why she had curled herself around the shivering form, desperately hoping to share her warmth. After constantly checking the progress, Kana found herself greatly relieved when the child finally stopped shivering and her skin returned to a healthy color. As for the other little human, she was beginning to get worried for him, when she felt the presence of Tobirama nearby. Her ears perked up, glad to finally receive help from another human, more capable than her to deal with his own kind.

Just outside the hidden cave, Tobirama slowed down until he stopped completely. He needed a moment for himself before he faced the ones inside, the palpable evidence of what he had done. By clan rules, said and unsaid, what he’d committed was unforgivable, inexcusable. He had protected the enemy and killed his very own blood.

Suddenly dizzy, he pressed the heels of his hands over his eyes, trying to erase the memories of the recent battle. It hadn’t been glorious, he hadn’t been brave. He’d just fought viciously and determined, not giving himself time to think, just to react. The encounter had ended brutally, with no space for talks or attempts to convince each other. Despite the disgust and betrayal he’d felt in their chakra, he truly hadn’t wanted to kill them, reason why he’d first attempted to talk it out, however unlikely. He wasn’t naive, he’d strongly felt their desire to kill and their enjoyment in the act… But no matter those facts, they still had been _his_ people; he knew them, he knew their families. He’d felt no reward or satisfaction that he’d won, no. He was horrified by his actions, enough to make him seriously wonder if he wasn’t truly a monster, a _demon_.

_“Perhaps this is what makes one”_ , he thought.

What was worse was that, no matter how much he despised what he’d done, he didn’t regret it. Yes, he lamented the fact that he’d killed them, but not the circumstances. As a result of his actions, two innocent children were now alive instead of dead and that was enough for him.

Tobirama ended the painful pressure over his eyes and steeled himself. This wasn’t the time to resolve the situation. No matter how many outcomes and possible solutions he formed in his head, reality had a way of turning your best plans into dust. So all that was left was what he had now, which was a pair of missing children at his care. That, he could focus on.

He checked his clothes for blood and, finding nothing blatantly evident, entered the cave.

He was met by a pair of terrified eyes, one tomoe sharingan registering his every move. Instinctually, he averted the eyes, but giving that it belonged to the child, he quickly resumed eye contact. Tobirama raised his hands slowly in a placating manner, trying to convey that he meant no harm, and lowered his body until he was on his knees, equating their heights.

Nearly whispering, the albino said, “Hello, little one. I’m not sure if you remember, but my name is Tobirama. And her-”, he nudged his head towards the leopard, “is Kana-san, my summon. I’m not going to hurt you, and you don’t have to worry about the men from before anymore, they won’t harm you ever again”. His face softened, crinkling the corners of his eyes. 

Sharingan still activated, Kagami stood in a protective stance in front of where his cousin was. For his part, Tobirama made sure to not move a muscle, staying completely still. The female leopard sedately lifted her elegant neck and called Kagami. Only when he turned his head around enough to make eye contact, she continued, “He is indeed my summoner and he truly means no harm to you or your cousin. You can trust him as you trusted me. He is the one that called for me so I could help you both escape”.

The black haired Uchiha, now reassured and significantly calmer, relaxed his posture and clasped his hands together. Nevertheless, he kept warily looking back at Tobirama. He wanted to trust him, but was still too scared to do so, an understandable response after what he’d gone through.

Tobirama remained still. “Little one, if it makes you feel safer, I won’t move from here for now. I understand you’re still frightened and suspicious after what happened” There was a brief silence in which Kagami considered this, before the white haired Senju whispered again gently, “However, do you know how to turn off your sharingan? Maybe you haven’t realized Kagami, but it’s activated. You need to deactivate it because it consumes a lot of your energy and it could be dangerous for you, because you’re little and you’re very tired right now, alright? Has someone ever explained this to you?”

Hands still firmly clasped, Kagami briefly rocked on his heels, standing on his toes and then back again. Stopping, he scrunched his nose, deep in thought. Tobirama waited patiently until Kagami gave him a cautious and slightly unsure little nod, before he resumed his nervous swinging.

“That’s really good Kagami” Tobirama encouraged him “Do you think you can try it now?”

Although the child shrugged, he frowned in concentration and closed his eyes after a short moment’s hesitation, now trusting enough to do so. As the eyelids dropped, Tobirama monitored his chakra. When the child managed to stop that particular flow in his eyes, he felt, oddly enough, pride settle on his chest. Once Kagami’s onyx colored eyes were looking back at him, Tobirama gave him a lop-sided smile, one end curled upwards. “Very good Kagami, you did very well for your first time”.

The little Uchiha preened at the compliment, smiling bashfully back at the adult. “Thank you”, he finally spoke. Gaining confidence, the child gave one step towards Tobirama and leaned forward, squinting his eyes. “Your eyes are red!” he exclaimed in surprise, pointing a finger to his face “Are you like a distant Uchiha relative?”

The leopard behind him huffed in amusement, a deep scratchy noise from her gut.

“I’m afraid not” Tobirama replied, still with that crooked smile, eyes alight with laughter at the way the child’s speech deformed endearingly because of the missing tooth, turning the “s’” into “th’”. “It’s called albinism; do you know what that is?” The child inquisitively tilted his head to the side and gave another step forward, shaking his head. Curiosity was winning over his distrust.

Tobirama relaxed his posture in an inviting way and explained “It’s a condition I was born with, in which the pigment in the skin, the hair and the eyes is completely or partially absent. Do you know what the pigment is?” Kagami shook his head again, intrigued by the new mystery “The pigment is something that your body makes that has a specific color and, in my case, my body doesn’t make enough of it”

The child wore an excited expression and came closer so he could have a better look at Tobirama’s eyes. “Wow! So that’s why my hair is black and your hair white?”

“Indeed, you understood well”

What Tobirama loved about children was their natural interest about everything they came in contact with, as well as their unashamed way of asking things to satiate their curiosity. They were blunt in their inquiries and candid when expressing their emotions. Despite them sometimes being considered impolite or offensive, it has never bothered Tobirama, knowing that they do so without ill intent. Besides, he considers it refreshing to speak to someone that’s unafraid to start a conversation about things people usually avoid, be it out of fear, discomfort or a misguided idea that you’ll feel insulted by it. Actually, he thinks, it’s their uncomfortable silence and furtive glances thrown his way that makes it insulting and uncomfortable.

The child was currently examining his eyes with great interest, going cross-eyed from the closeness. “Does it hurt?” he asked in sudden worry when the possibility occurred to him.

“Sometimes, but I take precautions for that” The Senju replied, having always preferred the honest approach with people, including children.

Kagami pursed his lips, saddened by the fact.

Seeing an opening, Tobirama asked, “Kagami, don’t you think it’s cold in here? Why don’t we make a fire with the wood we have. We could do it together”

Apparently, it worked as a trigger, as Kagami widened his eyes in surprise, like he’d forgotten about it. “Okay!” he chirped while turning around, now completely trusting of Tobirama, and went to grab pieces of wood that had been left in a pile by Kana-san.

“Put them in the center, please, while I go check on your cousin” Tobirama stood up and kneeled in front of the leopard.

“Thank you for taking care of them, Kana-san”

The graceful leopard cocked her head to the side, “You’re welcome Tobirama. Do you wish to speak about it?”

“Not for the moment, but I appreciate the offer Kana-san”

Kana inclined her head, respecting his privacy, already knowing that he’d feel more comfortable with Yuuto for these things. “The child is now warm and has been sleeping for a while. Although perhaps she needs other things” She angled her body so she could expose the baby.

Tobirama inspected her with care and concluded that she needed changing and food. “Keep her as she is, please, I’ll boil water for her change of clothes and prepare a soft meal”

Once the wood had been correctly set, Tobirama started the fire and unsealed some items from hidden arrays drawn on his arms, all the while explaining to Kagami what he was doing and why. The latter had an amazed glint in his eyes, making questions and small shocked noises whenever Tobirama did something he didn’t expect.

Sometime later, they were sitting around the blazing fire, Kagami’s cold slowly seeping away and mind eased by the crackling noises made by the flames. He was leaning against the strong form of the Senju, watching him grind fruit in a suribachi with steady and rhythmical movements.

“So that’s for Yua?” He yawned.

Tobirama hummed, not stopping the circular motion against the stone. “Yes and for you as well, it’s better to eat soft meals when your stomach is upset. And the cloth that I cleaned and hang near the fire is for your cousin”

Kagami nodded, thinking that he would’ve also felt _very_ uncomfortable not going to the bathroom for a long time. 

After the children had been fed and the baby cleaned and changed, Tobirama set a blanket near him for Kagami, who chose to wrap it around himself and to continue leaning against the albino. No one spoke for a while, the emotions of the day catching up on everyone.

“Tobirama-san?” the child asked hesitantly.

“Yes?”

The child kept his gaze set on the fire as he spoke “How did you know it was my first time using the sharingan?”

_Perceptive_ , Tobirama noted. “Well,” he explained, always the pedagogue, “the eye abilities of your clan are awakened by strong emotions, as far as I know. You’re still too young to have entered battle, so it was unlikely that it had awoken before today. And you confirmed it once you turned it off”

The child remained silent and a taciturn air surrounded him.

Tobirama quieted as well, giving the Uchiha the time he needed for whatever thing he was processing.

Eventually, the child pressed closer to the adult and whispered, as if telling a secret, “It was very scary”.

Gravely, the Senju replied, “I’m sure it was”. He started to gently run his fingers through the dark locks, in hopes of helping him relax.

Kagami nodded seriously, “It was”. He bit his lips and grasped whatever piece of fabric his hands could find, which turned out to be Tobirama’s shirt. Flashes of terrible memories ran through his young mind against his own will, now forever engraved on it.

For the Senju’s part, he wondered sardonically if the sharingan would be considered more of a blessing or a curse. “Do you want to tell me about it?”

The child’s face scrunched up, conflicted. “I… I don’t know”

A burning piece of wood being eaten away by reddish flames detached from the main body and rolled away.

Kagami’s voice wobbled, “I thought we were going to die”

The child’s heartbeat sped up as if re-experiencing every moment of distress, terror and despair, and every cruel word, pitiless look and deaf ears to desperate pleas for mercy.

It became a weight too heavy to hold.

His little body sagged, body and mind exhausted, and despondent tears fell in quick succession against Tobirama’s shirt. The Senju sighed wearily and positioned the Uchiha on his lap, who curled into the hug, taking the much needed comfort. A while passed where the child cried in cathartic release, wrapped in a compassionate embrace. It reminded him of his mother when he woke her up in the middle of the night, remnants of a nightmare still clutching at his heart. It was a bittersweet feeling that made him pout nostalgically, heart suddenly aching for her smile and touch.

When the cries stopped and his breaths calmed, his eyelids started to drop, too exhausted to keep them open. Just before sleep could claim him, Kagami quietly asked, “Tobirama-san?”

“Hm?”

“Can I call you sensei?”

Tobirama startled, not expecting the question. “Hm? Don’t you have a shishou already?”

Kagami’s prior theatrical tales about his “shishou’s hilarious frown” and “shishou’s grumpy cats that kinda look like him” made it a difficult fact to forget.

“Yes, but Tobirama-san is very strong and saved us from the bad men. So I respect him very much. Also, he knows _a lot_ of things and I also learned a lot! He was very patient and answered all of my questions. I’ve heard adults say to my mama that I don’t learn much because I get too dis-distracful”

“Distracted” Tobirama corrected mechanically.

“Distracted” The child repeated “I get too distracted, so, you know! I respect Tobirama-san a lot and I learn things he teaches me, isn’t that kind of what a sensei is?”

The unexpected wisdom coming from the child made his throat tighten in emotion. Now, his heart was sure of the decision he’d made. And, for a moment, he felt completely at ease, wondering if this is what the peace his brother so often speaks about would feel like.

“I guess it is” He whispered, feeling like if he spoke louder, he would suddenly cry, “You can call me sensei if that’s what you want, little one”

“Thanks, sensei” the child muttered, content, before his eyes finally closed.

_“Yes”_ Tobirama thought as he tightened his hold on Kagami _“This is the right choice”_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! I hope you enjoyed!<3<3
> 
> *I put a hidden symbolism in this chapter. You may have noticed that Kagami's eye color is described as onyx. In different cultures it has been considered to be a protector for harmonious relationships, as well as a protector from evil. From what I've read, the chinese believe in its protective qualities, to give energy for support and determination to persevere. It's also been used for crafting amulets. The black and white stripes have symbolized the love between two people. --When I read this, I thought that it fits Kagami's personality perfectly and for this story in particular. :D
> 
> *Yuuto: japanese name. Depending on the kanji used, it has different meanings; one of them alludes to gentleness or tender person
> 
> *The "Suribachi" is a Japanese traditional grinding-bowl


	4. 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! big thanks to everyone that's been supporting the story. From this chapter on I don't think I'll be able to update every week because of work and study:( although I have written other chapters. But besides that, enjoy the new chapter and comment/kudo/bookmark if you like!:)
> 
> WARNING: this chapter deals with the traumatic event for a child (Kagami).
> 
> As always, some explanations are at end notes!

His steps were heavy against the snow, feet sinking and rising again with effort, making a crunching sound with every stride. Small puffs of icy air could be seen for a moment when he exhaled, before quickly being dragged away by the unforgiving wind.

Tobirama adjusted the weight on his back, without slowing his movements.

“Sensei, why aren’t we traveling by trees like before?” Kagami asked, chin resting against his shoulder and arms looped around his neck. Kana-san was walking next to them, baby strapped to her chest with the blanket Tobirama had given to Kagami the previous night.

Just before day broke, they began their journey towards the Uchiha compound. First, they’d erased all that could indicate that someone had been in the cave. Then, as soon as they stepped outside, Tobirama and Kana-san jumped into the tall branches with practiced ease. After a while, when they started getting closer to the compound, Tobirama signaled his female companion and landed softly onto the snow. 

“Hm” Tobirama went silent, pondering how forthcoming he should be to Kagami. Being from one of the main enemy clans and him one of the most notorious nins, the albino wanted to avoid at all cost being recognized. He still wasn’t sure what he would do once he returned to his own clan, but he wanted to at least take the minimum precautions. However, Tobirama thought with dread, this was a child they were talking about. No matter how much he told him to keep his identity a secret, realistically, it was just wishful thinking. Sooner or later, Kagami would say something that would give him away.

With that thought in mind, Tobirama sighed and relented, “You see Kagami, I can’t accompany you to the gates. When you arrive with you cousin, they’re probably going to send a team to investigate how you came here. So this is to throw them off my tail, so to speak”

Kana-san whipped his legs with her tail in retaliation.

With a small quirk of his lips, Tobirama continued, “With that said-” The white haired man stopped abruptly and lowered Kagami to the ground. He kneeled in front of the child and grabbed his shoulders with firm hands. He locked eyes with him and announced in a serious tone, “Kagami. From this point on, you’ll walk alone with Yua until you reach your home”

The child went stiff and frantically grabbed his arms. “No, sensei! Please don’t leave us alone! What if more bad men show up?!” His eyes watered and his fingers dug deeper into the fabric.

Tobirama softened his crimson eyes and rubbed his shoulders with strong fingers in a soothing motion, “You don’t have to worry Kagami, you won’t see me but I’ll be watching you until you’re safe inside your compound. I’ll be looking for any dangers around you and Kana-san will also be watching close by. Nothing bad will happen, alright? We’ll be with you even if you can’t see us”

Kagami calmed a bit, but was still firmly grasping his clothes “Then why can’t you come?”

“Because I can’t be seen by your clan. Our clans don’t get along very well, Kagami, so if they see me they’ll think that I’m the bad man and everyone will worry and get very frightened. So it’s best if we avoid that, do you understand?”

The child nodded slowly but frowned, displeased that anyone would to think that his sensei would hurt him, it was just ridiculous. He’d save them!

Tobirama squeezed his shoulders. “That’s good Kagami. Now, there’s another very important thing, so I need you to listen to me carefully” He paused, debating with himself how to best approach the delicate subject, “Kagami, you know when your mother tells you not to do something and you do it anyway?”

“Yes! She gets all sad and dissp-disappointed”

Tobirama hummed, “Exactly, and you know how our clans don’t get along?”

“Mhm”

“Well, my family tells me not be friends with your clan but, with you, I did it anyway. You understand what I mean?”

The child pouted, dejected “Are you going to get into trouble with your family because of me?”

Tobirama shook his head, “No. You’re not guilty about anything Kagami, remember that. No matter what happens, it isn’t your fault, alright?”

“Okay” He replied, relieved.

“What I’m saying is that I did something that wasn’t allowed because I wanted to. So I’m going to ask you if you could help me by keeping who I am a secret, because I could get into trouble with my own clan if someone knows that I met you”.

Tobirama thought that it was highly unlikely that the Uchihas’ wouldn’t find out who saved their children, but it had to be said anyway.

Kagami was beginning to understand and exclaimed, “I don’t want anything bad to happen to you sensei! I won’t say anything, promise!” The child was smiling at him, all bright and innocent, and Tobirama found it impossible not to return it in kind.

“Thank you Kagami. However, there’s one more thing I want to tell you”.

“What?” he asked, as he played with the loose threads of his clothes.

“If by any chance your clan finds out who I am or you say something, I will not get mad at you Kagami, I swear this. Everyone makes mistakes, so it’s alright. And, sometimes, we find ourselves in situations where we cannot lie or hide information. I will handle it if it comes to that, so don’t you worry. Understand?”

The black-haired child was looking wide-eyed at him, nodding earnestly. “I understand sensei”.

Satisfied with the conversation, Tobirama turned to his left where the leopard was waiting and unstrapped the baby with deft fingers. While he strapped her to Kagami’s chest, the albino started explaining how to get to the compound and other important things for the remaining of the journey. Once everything was set and done, Tobirama rested his hands again on the small shoulders.

Crimson eyes found onyx ones.

A heavy silence settled between them, both knowing that they would probably never see each other again.

The wind traveled freely around them, softly tousling their hairs like a caress and leaving a whistling sound at its passing.

The pale fingers of Tobirama tensed around Kagami’s shoulders and, in return, the child grabbed the front of his white fur. A wretched hiccup left the Uchiha’s throat and he unclasped one of his hands so he could rub the tears from his eyes away. 

Tobirama felt his heart clench at the kindhearted spirit that was Uchiha Kagami, who had so easily accepted him and now suffered for their parting.

The adult closed the distance between them and held the child, carefully pressing his thin body against his chest. Kagami hid his face on the crook of his neck and wept in earnest. Tobirama placed one hand on his nape, holding his head, while the other stroked his back comfortingly.

“You’ll be alright, Kagami” Tobirama whispered gently. They stayed like that for a while, until the hiccups and cries subsided. He moved the child so he could see his face and brushed his thumbs over his eyes, drying the tears. Once he’d calmed down, Tobirama sagely expressed, “ ‘一期一会’ [ _Ichi go ichi e_ ]. Carry this experience with you Kagami, cherish it and take advantage of what you’ve lived through. We may never see each other again, but that doesn’t mean it meant nothing. You granted me the honor of considering me your sensei, so from here on, I will always consider you my student. You may return changed, but your soul remained gentle. You’ll be alright.”

Kagami wore a glazed expression, dumbfounded by the words. Then, a courageous tint took over his face, “You’ll be alright too, sensei! And I will never forget you! Thank you very much for everything!” The little child stepped back and bowed respectfully and charmingly, before giving him one last parting hug.

Tobirama’s lips tightened in foreboding for what was to come, both now and in his near future. He stood up, brushing the snow from his clothes and Kana-san licked Kagami’s face as her goodbye, never one for needless talk.

Sighing minutely, Tobirama gave a final encouraging nod to the Uchiha child and went to hide among the trees along with his summon, not delaying their departure anymore. Kagami waved back at where they’d run to and faced the direction of his home. He enveloped his arms around Yua protectively, an imitation of how he’d been held by Tobirama, and took the first step without the Senju at his side.

* * *

As promised, while Kagami closed the distance with his home, the Senju and the leopard remained vigilant, a hidden support that hopefully no Uchiha would ever know about.

He observed wistfully as Kagami finally reached the walls of his home, excitedly waving one arm over his head. Gates were opened in haste and people quickly surrounded the child. Everyone’s chakra stirred in astonishment as they extended their arms towards the smaller Uchihas as if to confirm that no illusion was overtaking their senses.

He’d seen enough.

With a hard twist of his heels he turned around and headed towards his own home.

He failed to witness three young adults with a desperate look on their eyes running towards the children. Crushing them into a hug, tears fell relentlessly down their faces, as though if they stopped, what they were seeing would stop as well.

* * *

“I don’t believe it”

Madara was staring flabbergasted at the child squeezing his middle. He fixed his eyes on Kagami, who was smiling brightly at him and asked, “Are you sure you’re not a spirit?”

“Shishou!” came the indignant shout. A beat, “Maybe you’re the spirit!”

“Brat! No respect for the elders”

“Are you calling yourself old, shishou?” was his cheeky reply.

“Oi!” Madara protested affronted.

“You practically asked for it aniki” The hand covering Izuna’s mouth trembled in mirth.

Madara sharply turned his head to the side. The strands of his hair that partly covered his angular face flowed dramatically along with the movement and were successful in hiding a quivering smile.

Keeping his face safely hidden by the hair and clothes, Madara rested a warm hand on top of Kagami’s head, heavy with emotion.

“I’m happy you’re alright kid” His voice shook slightly and he patted the curls. He cleared his throat and blinked away the tears that threatened to fall. “Now go look for your mother, Kagami. We need to speak to the clan head”

“Okay!” he chirped and exited the room they were in.

There was a brief silence and then Izuna asked, a little faintly, “Is it rude if I say that I’m kind of astounded by his continuous survival?”

Madara grabbed his arms and looked intently at him.

“What?” the younger brother demanded with some apprehension.

“I was thinking _exactly the same_ ”

Izuna exhaled, annoyed, “Kami, aniki, you don’t have to be so intense about it”

Madara harrumphed and dropped his hold. “Whatever” He lifted his chin and crossed his arms over his chest. Sobering, he said, “But seriously Izuna, _how_?” He looked at his brother from the corner of his eye and whispered, “By all accounts, they should be _dead_. What do you think happened?”

Izuna shrugged helplessly.

A voice said from behind “I would like to know as well”

Both brothers jumped, startled at the voice.

“Father! We didn’t hear you come in” Izuna laughed awkwardly.

“Yes, I can see that” Tajima replied drily “Let’s sit in the meantime” Not expecting an answer, the clan head turned around and went to his designated place, the one for the figure with the highest position in the room.

Madara and Izuna quickly followed after him and sat next to each other, at their father’s left.

They were waiting for the Kagami and his mother, along with the representative of the elder’s council and Uchiha Hikaku, a young but valuable member of the clan, whose wit and quick action had saved more than a few lives in the past. He had a strong but playful personality once trust had been established.

Izuna, being the younger, served the tea to Madara and Tajima in a comfortable but expectant silence. The clan head took the first sip with a preoccupied gaze, eyeing the inside of the cup as if the blackened water held the answers to the mystery at hand.

“Tajima-sama” A polite and firm voice travelled from the other side of the door “It’s Hikaku. Kagami and his mother have arrived, as well as the esteemed elder”

Tajima promptly forgot about the delicate cup and left it on its matching plate. “Enter”

Kagami was walking besides his mother, looking ahead but with his left hand firmly attached to her kimono, never losing some sort of contact while they walked towards their seats.

Once they had sat and Hikaku had closed the door, Tajima searched Kagami’s eyes. The child squirmed under the intimidating look, but remained silent. The clan head tapped one calloused finger over the table and asked in a gruff voice, “How are you Kagami-kun?”

Surprised at the question, he answered “Oh! Um… alright! Thank you Tajima-sama!”

The clan head gave a thoughtful hum “You are not injured?”

“No, sir! I mean” He looked down and grasped his mother’s sleeve. Inhaling deeply, he continued in a somewhat hesitant tone “Well, I got pretty scared, but um, you know! Then I was not”

Everyone directed sort of a mystified look at him. The child merely showed his missing tooth in a nervous smile. 

Tajima, having had _plenty_ of experience with handling frankly _bizarre_ situations and unforthcoming children, starting by _Madara_ , he simply sighed mutely. “Why don’t you start from the beginning Kagami-kun. How did you get outside the compound?”

Kagami directed guilty eyes towards his mother “Well, I was taking care of Yua, my cousin by the way”

Izuna bit his lip, amused. _As if they didn’t know already_. Madara pinched him under the table and he scowled, but refrained from smacking him in return.

“So we went outside to look at the snow, because it was really pretty and I didn’t want her to miss that! I’m sorry mom, I know you told me not to go outside, but it was so boring just walking inside the house! And then we were in the garden and the ground shook and there was a really loud noise and-”

“Kagami. _Breathe_ ” Madara chastised him lightly. Under the high neck of his shirt, he indulged in a private smile. Just an hour ago he’d thought that he’d never be able to say that again. It filled his chest with warmth.

“Yes, shishou! So, you know, I got scared because I didn’t know what was happening so I went to search for my mom”

There was a pregnant pause. “And then?” Azumi prompted gently, squeezing his little hand.

Kagami swallowed, remembering his panic at that moment. His voice turned solemn and a little frantic, “I wanted to go to the carpenter’s store because that’s where my mama was, but… I don’t know, I wasn’t looking and there were so many people! And after a while I looked up and I was just… outside!” The child grimaced anxiously.

His mother stilled. “You just _walked through the gate_ _and_ _no one saw you_?” Her eyes zeroed in on the clan head, respectful enough not to be called out on it, but sufficiently threatening to make him feel directly responsible about the negligence.

Tajima promised somberly “It will be investigated later. Now, let’s continue”

The mother narrowed her eyes, but conceded with a sharp dip of her chin.

“And then… well… you know…” Kagami’s heartbeat sped up, memories imprinted by the sharingan assaulting him mercilessly.

“Kagami, are you alright?” Madara asked worriedly when the child’s speech abruptly stopped. His eyes were fixed on the table, distant and slightly perturbed. “Kagami?”

_Home! He just wanted to get_ home!, _the child ruminated despondently and stomped his foot in frustration, a strangled scream leaving his throat. As always, shuffling leaves were his only answer._

_He rubbed the baby’s back and his features fell in dismay._

_Resuming his walk with mechanical movements, he dragged his exhausted feet through the snow, muscles stretching painfully after hours of repeating the same motions relentlessly. It was the sort of action that was carried out after every other option had been discarded, knowing that its execution would bring no benefits but done anyway because there was nothing else to do._

_The daylight had already passed and a dark screen had moved forward, covering the land. The full moon illuminated the tranquil snow, which helped the lost child to see his steps. A small mercy provided by nature._

_His freezing ears suddenly picked up the sound of a twig splitting under the force of an unknown pressure._

_Brain sluggish from the cold, his only reaction was to direct his tired gaze to his right, slowing his movements until all that was left were his unsteady legs valiantly keeping him upright._

_At first, the child merely stared, blinking incomprehensible at the shape at his side. His teeth clattered against each other in response to the convulsive movements of the muscles of his jaw._

_When he realized that the silhouette wasn’t a trick of the eye but a person, a gasp escaped his chapped lips. Tremendous relief washed over him, feeling like he could breathe again. Tears gathered in his eyes and his face lightened in hopefulness._

_His smile froze at the unexpected callous sneer._

_“Well, well, well, what have we found?”_

_The heavily armed man approached him with serpent-like movements, a predatory smile stretching his stubble cheek. Kagami took a terrified step back and crashed against another form._

_He was pushed forward with malice, but the child managed to hold his footing. He looked in trepidation as five men circled around him, sharp metal glinting dangerously under the moonlight._

_“What’s that on your arms, Uchiha?”_

_As if triggered by those words, for a fleeting moment a tingling sensation surged from the tip of his toes up to the roots of his hairs, oddly similar to an electric current, to finally settle comfortably on the back of his eyes. It happened so fast that it didn’t even give him the time to ponder if it’d been painful. He looked down at the hands holding the baby and frowned, perplexed. It was as if time-space had been distorted and he could follow every slowed down movement with detached, surgical precision. Like his senses had been refined and he could truly see for the first time what had been hiding under a delicate surface._

_“Look men, an Uchiha dog already with that cursed eye” the man scoffed in a derogatory manner “We got lucky”_

_Registering what the man had said, Kagami asked in a small voice, “Wh-what?”_

_“And stupid too”_

_They laughed derisively at him; dishonored men who called themselves praiseworthy warriors and had the gall to enter their homes and hug their own children after so cruelly abusing the ones’ of others._

_“Uchiha dogs aren’t allowed here” the same man drawled. By the way he was smiling it seemed like he was the sort of man that enjoyed immensely listening to himself speak. “We should put the dogs down, what do you gentlemen think?”_

_Kagami’s heart hammered painfully against his ribcage “Ple-” He choked on his dried throat and tried again, swallowing with difficulty, “Please, don’t-”_

_His words were drowned by perverse chuckles._

_“It speaks!”_

_The terror and despair was so overwhelming, so all-encompassing, that Kagami had a delayed reaction to the shadow that draped over him and blocked his view of the nightmare called Senju Kuragari._

_Petrified as he was, he could only manage to clutch desperately onto the thing in front of him._

_A deep, baritone voice made its descent onto him, warm like the afternoon sun “What’s your name, little one?”_

_It was said with such care and gentleness, that Kagami found it impossible to resist it “Ka-Kagami and-”_

_“Kagami!”_

“Kagami!”

Tense fingers were shaking his arms, squeezing them painfully. Reacting on impulse, Kagami violently kicked his legs and wriggled agitated arms, struggling against the restraining hold. _Get off of me!_

The hands quickly retracted at the shout the child hadn’t realized he’d expulsed.

“Don’t touch me!”

One tomoe sharingan was spinning violently and wildly, not fully in contact with reality.

A sepulchral silence fell upon the room.

“ _Sharingan?_ ” someone muttered appalled.

At some point, the young mother had started crying silently, shaky hands pressed against her mouth so hard that skin had turned white.

Madara’s expression was aghast as he crouched in front of Kagami, who’d retreated into one of the corners of the room, arms raised in front of him in a defensive position. It was disturbingly similar to traumatized warriors that returned forever changed from the battlefield. He swallowed harshly back the bile that had come up his larynx and looked directly into the child’s eyes.

“Kagami” Madara called in a strong voice. He called several times until he saw awareness slowly coming back “Kagami, you’re alright, you’re safe now. We’re inside the compound. Yua’s also safe. You’re both safe. Now come on kid-” he slowly extended his hand “It’s me, you know me, your shishou. Kagami? Can you hear me?”

Gaze fixed on Madara’s fingers, the child started blinking and the sharingan faded away. His dark eyes moved from the extended fingers, to the protuberant bluish veins of the wrist and then travelled upwards, falling on long hair, a tanned neck and finally, on pained eyes.

“Kagami?” he asked again in apprehension, fingers jerking slightly, urging to make contact.

“Shishou?”

There was a collective sigh of relief and it was as if a spell had been broken, allowing the pressure in the air to start withering away.

Madara smiled faintly, shoulders slumping as some of the tension bled out of his muscles.

“Yes Kagami, it’s me. Do you know where you are?”

The child blinked a few times, his adrenaline filled brain not yet fully functioning. “Um” he scratched his throat, leaving behind red threads. His voice was coarse as he spoke, as if he hadn’t stopped screaming. “Yeah, um, yes. Home, I’m home” His eyes had fallen to the ground, but then searched again the ones’ in front of him.

They were warm and inviting “Yes you are, you’re home Kagami”

He tucked the child into his strong arms, fingers digging on his skin, as if to ground him. “You’re safe now”

Madara looked at his father, silently asking what to do. There was a mute exchange and Madara asked Kagami in a low voice, “Kagami, how do you feel answering a few more questions? Then you can go home. I promise it won’t be long and that I’ll be here with you all the time. We’ll have to do it anyway so maybe it’s best to do it now and then you won’t have to worry about this, what do you think?”

There was a pregnant pause before Kagami gave a small nod, face still hidden into Madara’s neck.

“Thank you Kagami, you’re very brave”

Madara simply stood up with the child still on his arms and returned to his own seat, positioning them so Kagami could rest comfortably on his lap. His face was still partly hidden and his fingers gripped Madara’s hair.

Tajima had a thunderous look on his face. _Who’d dare hurt his own! Oh, they were going to_ pay _, he would make sure of it_. The clan head closed his eyes and forced himself to calm down. Inhaling deeply, he consciously erased his bloodcurdling expression and faced the small Uchiha.

“Thank you Kagami-kun, this must be hard on you. After this conversation is over you will be taken to a healer and then home” The last part of his speech had been mainly directed to Azumi, who was now calm enough to nod in return. It went unsaid that the healer would not only ascertain the wounds of the body, but of the mind as well.

“I’m going to ask a few questions, please tell us if you start feeling like before, Kagami-kun and we will stop” The clan head expertly took charge of the situation and continued his questioning, “Something happened now. You were remembering something, yes?”

A nod.

“Were you remembering what happened outside the compound?”

Another nod.

Tajima hummed quietly, considering his next question. He couldn’t be too invasive nor ask non vital questions. Information such as the awakening of the sharingan could be asked later, once the child was more stable and time to process the situation had passed. “Did you encounter other people?”

A sharper nod this time; there was a frantic edge to it.

“Did they try to hurt you and Yua?” he asked more gently this time.

The child’s hands clenched and unclenched several times. Another wobbly nod was given. Madara’s arms squeezed him harder.

“I’m sorry to hear that Kagami-kun, I remind you you’re safe now” Tajima paused shortly. “Did they manage to physically hurt you or Yua?”

Kagami shook his face. “No”, he muttered. Tajima saw the beginnings of a smile. “ _Interesting_ ”, he thought.

“I see. They didn’t hurt you then, that’s good. I noticed you just smiled Kagami-kun. What were you smiling about?”

The child’s face suddenly tensed, nervous. “No one” He replied defensively.

“ _Huh, so he’s defending someone that he doesn’t want or can’t speak about. But with that smile before, maybe not out of fear but protection_ ” The clan head thoughtfully tapped his fingers.

“Did someone help you with those people?”

Kagami went still and avoided the clan head’s eyes. The silence stretched and he finally said, reticently, “…yes”

“You don’t want to tell us about this person?”

Kagami bit his lip. “I can’t! I promised!” he passionately shouted.

“Promised?”

Kagami had raised his hands in the air, palms up in a pleading sort of motion, “He’s going to get in trouble with his family if they know! I can’t!”

Madara and Izuna crossed looks, bewildered.

“Why is he going to get into trouble, Kagami-kun?”

“Well” Kagami frowned “He said his family tells him not to be friends with us, but he did it anyway with me. But he said it wasn’t my fault! Sensei said that he did it because he wanted to!”

_“Sensei?!”_ Madara thought incredulous and suddenly jealous.

“Sensei?”

Kagami’s face lit up, his previous anxiousness seeping away “Yes! I asked him if I could call him that because he knows a lot of things and he taught me a lot! And he saved us! Did you know that you have to eat soft meals when your stomach is upset? And did you know that there are leopards that can _speak_?”

_What?_

Every adult in the room suddenly felt so out of their depths.

“Leopards” Tajima simply said. He thought it was appropriate.

“Yes! Snow leopards are _awesome_. I mean, Kana-san is _scary_ , but she took care of Yua, so I guess she’s alright. And she licked my face! So, you know, maybe she liked me, but I don’t know”

Tajima, Madara and Izuna sharply looked at each other. _Summons!_ Of course! Now everything made sense. Feeling that they had something to work on and given that Kagami didn’t appear terrified anymore, Tajima continued determinately.

“Oh, she seems to be interesting” The clan head said. He looked down at his nails, inspecting them in fake triviality “Friends with your sensei?”

“Yes! They know each other since _forever_. Although Tobirama-sensei speaks to her like with a lot of respect, so maybe she’s very old? I don’t know”

A deafening silence overtook the room.

No one moved.

Kagami remained oblivious, eagerly expecting the next question.

Madara and Izuna’s faces were carefully blank. Under the table, Izuna was tapping insistently on Madara’s thigh. The latter was too shocked to even wave the annoying hand away.

Tajima’s eyes darkened “Oh, so they must have a lot in common. Is your sensei’s hair white like his leopard?” He asked astutely.

“Ye-“

Kagami’s face suddenly blanched, just realizing what he’d previously said. His eyes jumped frantically from one face to another. “I… uh…” His face crumpled “Please don’t say anything Tajima-sama! Please!” He choked out. “He saved us!”

Izuna snorted, rolling his eyes. _Sure, the_ white demon _helping an_ Uchiha _inside Senju territory. God forbids_.

Kagami shot him a venomous glare. “He _did_!” The child stood up, fiercely fisting his hands. “They were going to hurt us; they were calling us Uchiha dogs and everything!”

Madara winced at the moniker.

“And then Tobirama-sensei jumped in! I remember _everything_ , I have the sharingan. I’m not lying! He asked what they were going to do to us, he was _very_ angry at them, _especially at him_ ”

“Him?” Madara asked, feeling detached from the entire conversation.

The child whispered “Senju Kuragari, he was _mean_ ” his voice hardened “Tobirama-sensei asked that _twice_ and then sensei told them not to kill us, but _he_ said something about clan head’s orders? So sensei hit them with water like, _really fast_ , and then Kana-san showed up and she took us away from there. Then we went to a cave and we waited for Tobirama-sensei. He told me that they weren’t going to hurt us ever again and he helped me turn off the sharingan! He said that it spends a lot of energy and that it was very dangerous for me because I’m little and I was very tired!”

His eyes were supplicant. “ _Please_ , Tajima-sama”

“Thank you Kagami-kun, this conversation is over. You may go with your mother now” Tajima was gravely looking at his now cold tea, deep in thought. “And, Azumi-san, may I remind you that everything spoken here remains confidential”

“Shishou! No, _please_!”

Madara watched helplessly as a screaming Kagami was dragged away by his stunned mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so! what do you think about their goodbye? kagami's reveal/interview/flashback? and what do you think is going to happen to Tobirama? hehee i'll be happy to read your thoughts on this chapter
> 
> *What Tobirama says while saying goodbye to Kagami is a Japanese proverb: 一期一会 (Ichi go ichi e - meaning: one chance, one meeting). It alludes to the idea of cherishing and taking advantage of every new encounter and take it as an opportunity because it will never repeat itself in the exact way. 
> 
> *Fun little fact: Children around Kagami’s age are refining their theory of mind, meaning: their hypothesis about what other people think and feel. The can mix -or more like have difficulty differenciating- what they are thinking and feeling with what others do, sometimes having trouble understanding that others don’t think and feel the same way they do. That’s why Kagami has trouble understanding that others can see Tobirama as a threat, because to him, he isn’t.

**Author's Note:**

> *A kiri tree is a native tree in Japan, a very resistant kind of tree that also grows rapidly. It's actually really pretty if you want to check it out.  
> *Kuragari means darkness  
> *Yua is a female japanese name meaning Tie, Bind, Love, Affection  
> *Kana is a japanese name that can be used for any gender and it means powerful
> 
> Thanks so much for reading!:D please leave a comment if you can!


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